The Tale of a Hunter
A short story about Jim Walters' past and journey to Camp Half-Blood. Chapter 1 July 10, 2003 Jim (Age 8) "Jimmy!" I heard my dad shout from outside. "Time for our annual camping trip!" I loved our camping trips. It was the only time I actually felt close to my dad. He had already packed the bags and was waiting for me in the car, where we'd be driving to a large acre of woods a few miles away from our house. "Coming, dad!" I shouted a reply. I rummaged through my drawers until I found what I was looking for; a turtle shirt my dad had gotten for me a few weeks ago. I sprinted through the house to the front door, and slammed it. I climbed into the car and waited for my dad to start driving. "Let's go, dad." I said to him, after a moment of silence. His body went rigid and when he turned to me, his eyes were a pale green. "Jim." A woman's voice spoke from my dad's body. "I am here to issue a warning. When your life takes a turn for the worst, always remember that it will get better. I have seen your future, and, ignoring the bumps along the way, it is a pleasant one. Be strong, my hero." My dad suddenly shivered and staered at me. "You ready, kiddo?" "Yeah dad." I replied, my voice hoarse. What just happened? Someone had possessed my dad to give me a warning that I didn't understand. We drove for an hour up to the woods, north of our house. It took us another hour to get the tent up, and when we finally started cooking dinner it was around 9.00pm. "Dad?" I asked hesitantly. "Hm?" he replied, not looking up from the fire. "Can you tell me about mom?" He rightly had a look of surprise on his face; I never ask about my mom. I mean, I was always curious, but I didn't want my dad to have to relive the pain. "Well, what do you wanna know?" He said. I burst into all of my questions. "Who was she? Why did she leave us? Why doesn't she ever visit? Doesn't she care? Did she leave....because of me?" I regularly thought about that. What if my mother left because of me? Was I that bad of a son? "Jim, listen to me." he replied sternly. "Your mother leaving was not your fault. Never think that, because it isn't true. Now, to answer your other questions; Your mother was a beautiful woman from Greece. She was a fortuneteller. I'm not sure why she left, kiddo. All I know is that after she left I found you on my doorstep, and that's the best farewell gift she could have given me." He gave me a hug before returning to the fire. July 24, 2003 Jim (Age 8) A few days after our first night, a horrific storm passed over us. We took refuge within our tent. The storm finally ended a couple of weeks later. I clambered out of the tent one morning and my dad began cooking breakfast. "Go have fun, Jim!" He called after me as I wandered through the forest. "But don't go too far!" I loved exploring. Discovering new things, journeying through forests. I was very adventurous. I heard a sudden hiss behind me, but figured it was just my imagination. I was wrong. A moment later, I felt a sudden sharp sting on my left leg. I glanced down and saw a yellow snake, its fangs clamped onto my leg. I screamed for my dad and he came running. The last thing I remember before passing out is my father, tears on his face, telling me that I would be okay. ---- I was out of it for the rest of that day. The only thing I'm certain I definitely heard, was the conversation between the doctor and my father a few hours before we went home. "Thank goodness he's alright." My dad said. "You brought him in just in time," the doctor replied. "A few minutes later and he would have been killed." Killed. I could have been killed. By a snake. Chapter 2 October 17, 2008 Jim (Age 13) People say that you're thirteenth birthday is something you should look forward to. This wasn't the case with mine. Don't get me wrong, I was really excited - at first. I invited everybody at school, my dad decorated our house with birthday decorations and baked a cake. And then I waited. For hours. When it was around nine at night, my dad came and sat next to me. I knew what was coming. He told me that the others may have been held up, or maybe they got the date wrong. He patted me on the back and gave me a slice of cake. A few minutes later, when we were both sitting around the table eating cake, the front door shook. And I mean shook. Almost off the hinges. My dad stood up and maneuvered himself in front of me, when suddenly the door collapsed. A creature that greatly resembled a large dog stood in the doorway. It sudden;y pounced on my dad and began to tear at him. I screamed, and the creature seemed to notice me. Its moment of hesitation gave my dad the time he needed to push it off of himself and out of the window. I heard it snarl, but then it was gone. ---- "Dad?" I asked. "What was that?" "I-I don't know, Jim." He said. His hand that was holding me by the scruff of my neck was shaking. He pulled me into my room and placed me onto the bed. "Dad?" I said hesitantly as he began to walk out. He seemed to hesitate and turned around. "Yes, Jim?" He said, with a forced smile. I could tell he was itching to leave my room. "Are you okay?" He smiled again, a real one this time. "I'm fine, Jim." And he shut the door. ---- When I awoke in the middle of the night, I made my way into my dad's room; it was empty. I trailed through the whole house; nothing. As a final resort, I glanced into the garden; clear. The house was empty. A sudden feeling of dread rushed through me. That thing must have come back for him. Must have killed him. Dragged him away. Somehow it was my fault. "Jim." A familiar voice spoke behind me. The same voice I heard that day in the car. I turned around and saw a pale woman, wearing a white tunic of sorts. "Let me explain to you what has happened." Chapter 3 October 18, 2008 Jim (Age 13) "A demigod?" I asked her for the fourth time. "As in half-god? And you're my mother?" "Yes, Jim," the woman said patiently. "My name is Hecate; I am the god-" "-dess of Magic!" I interrupted excitedly, before remembering that my father had just been killed. "I-is my dad dead?" Hecate hesitated, before nodding. "Yes, he is. But it is not your fault. That creature was a hellhound; a Greek monster. They are, to put it simply, attracted to the scent of demigods. Yours is particularly strong. That is why you need to go to Camp Half-Blood- a sort of haven for demigods. There you will learn to protect yourself and to use your abilities." She bent down on one knee and added kindly "I know you are grieving Jim, and everyone should get the chance to grieve. But not here; somewhere safe. Take my hand." I took her hand absently, still imagining my father being torn to shreds by that hellhound. Then there was a strange sensation and I found myself standing next to a gigantic pine tree. "D-did we just telepo-" I started saying, before realizing that there was no one there. I took a deep breathe, and made my way down the hill towards a big house that had been painted blue. ---- "She told you everything?" The centaur - Chiron - asked me again. "Are you sure you don't have any questions?" Truthfully, I had many questions, but he intimidated me, so I decided to say no. "Very well. I will ask one of our campers to give you a tour, and maybe answer any questions that may come to you." He winked at me, and I knew that he knew my brain was full of questions. "There's one now," he said, gesturing at a blonde haired girl who looked around my age. "Joanna! Would you be willing to give our friend Jim a tour of camp?" "Sure," the girl answered quietly, and started walking away. I glanced at Chiron, before turning and following her. WIP December 5, 2008 Jim (Age 13) December 10, 2008 Jim (Age 13) Category:Albus Chase Category:The Supernatural Chronicles Category:Short Story Category:Original Idea Category:WIP